Every year in Jefferson City · May & October

Porchfest JCMO

Front-porch music, twice a year, in a different corner of town each season. Free, family-friendly, and three hours long.

Musicians with a fiddle and acoustic guitars playing from music stands on a front lawn decorated for fall — Photo: JC Parks, from its Porchfest JCMO listing

When: Twice a year: usually the first Sunday in May and the first Sunday in October, 1 to 4 p.m.
Where: Spring: along Fairmount Boulevard. Fall: Forest Hill Avenue and West Main Street.
Cost: Free. Bring tip money for the performers.
Who runs it: JC Parks

The next one

We haven't seen a confirmed date for spring 2027 yet.

The last one was Sunday, October 4, 2026. Usually: First Sundays in May and October, 1 to 4 p.m.

Check back here once the date is posted, or get the weekly email below.

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What it is

Twice a year, one Jefferson City neighborhood turns its front porches into stages. Local musicians play from the porches, visual artists set up in the front yards, and the street in between fills with neighbors in lawn chairs, food and things for the kids to do. It runs from 1 to 4 on a Sunday afternoon, and it is free.

JC Parks has put on two Porchfests a year since 2018, usually on the first Sunday in May and the first Sunday in October. The fall one belongs to Forest Hill Avenue, which has hosted it every year, and it spills onto West Main Street. The spring one has moved around: it was on the 500 to 700 blocks of Capitol Avenue in 2021, and along Fairmount Boulevard in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

In 2020 the pandemic moved it online, twice. When it came back to Capitol Avenue in June 2021, it was the first Porchfest on those porches since the 2019 tornado.

What to expect

Walk the blocks and stop wherever the music suits you. Fall 2025 had 60 to 70 musicians and 15 to 20 visual artists signed up, crafts and food vendors, and something to eat on every block. Spring 2026 added featured authors to the artists and vendors.

Each one draws somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 people, depending on the weather.

The performers are volunteering their afternoon, which is why everyone tells you to bring cash for the tip jar.

Ahead of fall 2025, JC Parks said it would post the lineup and a map of acts on its website and Facebook page a week or two out. That is the place to look for who is playing where.

Good to know

Bring a lawn chair, sunscreen and tip money. That is JC Parks' own packing list.
Spring 2025 had a kids' area on Fairmount Court, and in 2023 Capital Arts brought a display for children to color.
On fall Porchfest day, Blues in the Park plays at nearby Memorial Park, and Porchfest has partnered with it.

Past years

Fall 2026Sunday, October 4, 2026Forest Hill Avenue and West Main Street.
Spring 2026Sunday, May 3, 2026Fairmount Boulevard, Fairmount Court and Oakwood Drive, featuring the Lorie Smith Blues Festival.
Fall 2025Sunday, October 5, 2025Forest Hill Avenue and West Main Street, with a Bicentennial Zone for Jefferson City's 200th birthday.
Spring 2025Sunday, May 4, 2025Fairmount Boulevard, Fairmount Court and Oakwood Drive: around 50 artists and 15 food vendors.
Spring 2024Sunday, May 5, 2024Fairmount Boulevard.
Fall 2023October 2023About 50 musicians and visual artists in the front yards of 15 Forest Hill Avenue homes, and another dozen on West Main Street.
Spring 2021June 2021About 30 artists on 13 porches on Capitol Avenue, back for the first time since the 2019 tornado.

Official information

Schedules, maps and changes come from the people who run it.

JC Parks: Porchfest JCMO (fall 2026 page) ↗

Questions people ask

When is Porchfest in Jefferson City?

Twice a year. JC Parks has held a spring and a fall Porchfest every year since 2018, usually on the first Sunday in May and the first Sunday in October, from 1 to 4 p.m. The 2026 editions were May 3 and October 4.

Is Porchfest free?

Yes, there is no admission. The musicians are volunteering, so bring some cash to tip the ones you like.

Where is Porchfest?

It depends on the season. The fall edition is on Forest Hill Avenue and West Main Street, near Memorial Park. The spring edition was along Fairmount Boulevard in 2024, 2025 and 2026, with Fairmount Court and Oakwood Drive in the last two.

What should I bring to Porchfest?

A lawn chair, sunscreen and tip money for the performers. Food vendors set up along the blocks.

Is Porchfest good for kids?

Yes. JC Parks bills it as family-friendly, with fun for all ages. Spring 2025 had a kids' area on Fairmount Court.

How many people go to Porchfest?

Somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 for each one, depending on the weather.

More every year in Jefferson City

All the annual events, month by month →

Where this comes from: 10 sources, checked October 18, 2026

Porchfest JCMO - Fall JC Parks
Porchfest JCMO (listing as scraped by JCMO Today, venue: Forrest Hill Ave, West Main St., Memorial Park, Oct 4 2026) Visit Jefferson City
Spring into JCMO: May events Visit Jefferson City
Porchfest returns on May 3 Jefferson City News Tribune
Porchfest returning to Forest Hill Jefferson City News Tribune
Fairmount neighborhood to host Porchfest again Jefferson City News Tribune
Porchfest Spring 2024 Jefferson City News Tribune
Porchfest spills onto Main Street Jefferson City News Tribune
Porchfest returns to Capitol Ave. for first time since tornado Jefferson City News Tribune
Cultural arts to grace Capitol Avenue porches Jefferson City News Tribune